Trent Alexander-Arnold emotionally declared Sunday to be “best day of my life” after the Anfield faithful opened their arms to him one last time.
Alexander-Arnold was booed during Liverpool’s previous home game against Arsenal, having announced he would leave the club at the end of the season.
Arne Slot’s side romping to Premier League title with four games to spare arguably created a news vacuum in which the barracking of the Real Madrid bound-star and its associated discourse rumbled on and on.
When Conor Bradley had to be replaced at halftime in Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace, Slot called on Alexander-Arnold as the obvious replacement at right-back.
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What did Trent Alexander-Arnold say about Liverpool fans?
“I didn’t know what to expect, stepping out at Anfield today after what had happened a few weeks ago,” Alexander-Arnold told Sky Sports, after he received a warm ovation from all four sides of the ground.
“The manager trusted me to go in there at halftime. To get the reception that I got means more than anything to me,” he continued.
“I’ve played hundreds of games for the club, but I’ve never felt so loved and so cared for as today.
“From the bottom of my heart, I hope that the fans and supporters of this club will be able to recognise the hard work and everything I’ve given, I’ve done for the team. There wasn’t a day or a minute or a second when I didn’t think about the team.”
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Why did Liverpool fans boo Trent Alexander-Arnold?
The reaction to the booing of Alexander-Arnold was roughly split along the lines of Liverpool supporters defending their right to show displeasure with a homegrown player who had run down his contract to join a European giant on a free transfer and external voices that were largely perplexed by the treatment of a fabulous footballer who had won every major honour with his boyhood club.
Ex-Liverpool captain Jamie Carragher railed against other commentators questioning the supporter reaction. “I’m sick of people telling Liverpool fans how they should feel,” he said on Sky Sports.
Alexander-Arnold cut a forlorn figure as the Liverpool players applauded their travelling supporters at Brighton earlier this week and there seemed little hope of a warm Anfield farewell.
The intervention of his former boss Jurgen Klopp, who looked on from the stands today, feels like it was key. Speaking at a supporter event on Friday, Klopp said he turned his television off when he heard Alexander-Arnold being booed during the Arsenal match.
“I don’t want to tell you what you have to think. I can tell you what you think is wrong,” Klopp said.
Slot seemed to have muddied the waters by revealing he had been unhappy with Alexander-Arnold’s efforts in training earlier in the season, but Anfield was in party mood and things ended on a happy note.
“Twenty years is a long time but I’ve loved every single minute of it,” Alexander-Arnold added, having joined Liverpool as a six-year-old. “It’s been an honour and a privilege to be part of this club.
“It goes down for me as the best day of my life. A very special day and a very special achievement.”
